Chennai, Jan 28 (IANS): Float glass major Saint-Gobain India is interested in using a portion of sand mined by integrated lignite-mining-cum-power generation company NLC Ltd, said a senior company official.

Speaking to reporters near here, B. Santhanam, Managing Director, said: "We found the sand layer above the lignite layer can be used to manufacture glass. We have developed beneficiation process whereby the sand could be used after removing the impurities."

The NLC's lignite mines in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu are open cast and the sand mined are dumped outside.

According to Santhanam, Saint-Gobain has a beneficiation plant near NLC.

"We want the Tamil Nadu government and NLC to agree on logistics and royalty for the sand," Santhanam said.

He said if both the parties agree on supplying the sand, then there will be more glass makers in the country as the sand mined at NLC mines are of huge quantities.

Santhanam said Saint-Gobain meets its sand needs from nearby areas as well as from Gujarat and Egypt.

He also hoped a pipeline to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) is laid from Ennore to the Saint-Gobain plant in Sriperumbudur near here to bring down the energy cost.

He said the company could then stop using furnace oil, thereby reducing the carbon foot print.

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is setting up a LNG terminal at Ennore. Santhanam said IOC will supply the LNG in tankers.